Necktie clasp and spreader



. 2Q, 1949 KANE 2,491,73?

NECKTIE CLASP AND SPREADER Filed April 6, 1946 v 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR, lferbe'r-f W Kane A T Tom/E VJ D, U, W49 H. w. KANE NECKTiE CLASP AND SPREADER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 6, 194.6

IN VEN TOR.

liar-barf I44 Kane A TTOQA/EVJ Patented Dec 20, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in necktie clasps and Spreaders and has for an object to provide a device which will possess three functions: first, to act in the capacity of a tie clasp to hold the tie to the shirt of the wearer; second, to assist the small end of the tie in being pulled through the knot; and third, when the tie is not in use and when the small end has been withdrawn thru the knot, to maintain the knot a distended natural position and against collapse.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved necktie clasp and spreader in which a spring is embodied in the device having a dual capacity in that it functions in its spring capacity to tend to spread the members of the device so as to distend the knot of the tie, and it moreover functions as a clamp having resilient characteristics to grip the small end of the tie in the act of drawing such end through the knot.

A further object of the invention resides in providing an improved device having resiliently expanded limbs for acting as a spreader with a hook arrangement to secure the limbs in a contracted condition suitable for acting as a tie clasp.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved device having the charac teristics and properties as above described embodied in a simple article of manufacture capable of being produced at small cost.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinaiter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein lik symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a combined necktie clasp and spreader constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is an end view taken from the right end of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the device with the members spread;

Figure 5 is a similar view with the members contracted and hooked together;

Figure 6 is a transverse section taken on the line $--5 in Figure 5;

. ends by rounded connecting nose 2i.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary perspective View showing the sleeve and hook;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a shirt and necktie with the improved device in use as a tie clasp;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a necktie with portions thereof broken away, and showing the improved device in its capacity for drawing the small end of the tie through the knot;

Figure 10 is also a fragmentary perspective view showing the device being pulled by the small tie end upwardly into the knot;

Figure 11 is a similar view showing another step with the members unhooked and in expanded position and occupying the knot in a final home position;

Figure 12 is also a fragmentary perspective view of a necktie with the device in final home position in the knot and with the small end of the tie disconnected from the spring clamp of the device, and

Figure 13 is a fragmentary perspective view of the small end of the tie and of the spring clamp of the device showing the method of connection.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 15 and I6 designate the long inner legs of the device which may be made of resilient wire of suitable gauge; and Il and i8 represent the two superposed convolutions of a helix which acts both as a spring and as a clamp.

Spaced from the legs l5 and i6 and substantially parallel therewith are the short outer arms is and 2!! connected together at thei convergent The other ends of the arms [9 and 28 are connected with the legs I5 and l6 by the looped end bights 22 and 23.

The entire device may be made from a single strand of spring wire having its ends disposed in abutting relation or opposed to one another as shown at 26 in a sleeve 25; sleeve 25 is to be clinched or soldered on both ends of wire at 24 (Fig. 7). The sleeve is carried by the leg 15 and has a web 26 and hook 21 projecting toward the companion leg H5.

An offset 28 (Fig. 2) is made in the legs [5 and I6 whereby that portion of the legs carrying the sleeve 25 and adapted to be engaged by the hook 21 is located farther from the plane of the arms I!) and 20 than the remaining lengths of the legs l5 and I6.

As shown in Figure 2 the nose 2! is preferably depressed toward the space between the legs is and it to better grip the necktie.

The helix El, it functions as a spring tending to bias the members of the device to the open position shown in Figures 1 and 4. The device comprises two members. One member comprises a leg l6 and an overlapping arm 25]. The other Ea:

companion member comprises the other leg i5 and its overlapping arm id. The members are hingedly connected together by the helix ll, it and the nose 2| The members may be squeezed or pressed together as shown in Figures 5 and 6 and the leg i6 may be engaged over the hook 2i to retain the members in the closed position.

In use the small end 29 of the necktie 39 is slid between the convolutions ll, E3, the convolutions ll, 58 will clamp together upon the necktie end 29 firmly holding the same, the tie fabric and hemmed edges of same furnishing the resiliency required to enable the end 29 of the necktie to be drawn through the knot 23! by holding the knot in one hand and pulling on the hook end of the Wire tie clasp with the other hand.

The small end 29 of the necktie is preferably shorter and narrower than the standard variety to enable it to pass through the knot 35 without bunching or binding. After the clasp has drawn the small end 29 through the knot 35 and the tie is adjusted to the collar by the wearer, as indicated in Figure 8, the clasp is set in place clamping the tie ends to the shirt front by passing the legs 55 and it on the inside of the shirt and the arms 89 and 28 on the outside of the necktie. To facilitate this action, the legs i5 and is are given a slight flare downwardly, as indicated in Figure 2 beginning substantially from the point lying beneath the nose 2i. The looped ends 22 and 23 of the clasp held apart by the one coil spring ll, H3 at the opposite end are closed and hooked as indicated in Figures 5 and 6 when the device is utilized. as a tie clasp. The longer wire or legs l5 and i6 and the coil are hidden under the shirt.

To remove the tie and retain the knot, the small end of the tie is slid between the convolutions H and I8 of the wire tie clasp, the loop ends unhooked and the tie removed in the way commonly used without untying the knot 3i. When the tie clasp is drawn up into the knot (Figures 10 and 11) the small end 29 of the tie is detached from the clamp ll, 58 by reversing sliding action with small end 29. This clamp or coil spring H, is possesses sufiicient tension against the inside of the knot to hold the tie clasp in the position of Figure 11 and to retain and distend the knot ready for reuse.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims:

I claim:

1. A combined necktie clasp and spreader comprising companion members pivoted together at one end and biased to an expanded condition transversely at their other ends, said members composed of top and bottom sections spaced from one another to act as a tie clasp, and detachable locking means whereby the distended end of the members may be retained in either collapsed or expanded position.

cl ii 2. A combined necktie clasp and spreader comprising transverse divergent members unconnected at one end and connected at their other ends, means whereby said unconnected ends are normally distended in substantially divergent relation transversely from said connected ends, said members comprising to and bottom parts connected together at the unconnected portions of said members, and removable detaching means whereby the unconnected ends of the members may be secured in a collapsed condition.

3. A necktie clasp and spreader comprising companion members connected at one end only, spring means at the connected end normally biasing the unconnected ends to a transverse distended condition, a hook carried by one of said normally biased distended members and adapted to engage the other of said members in the collapsed position of the members, said members having top and bottom parts spaced from one another permitting use thereof as a tie clasp.

4. A necktie clasp and spreader comprising companion members unconnected at one end, spring means for connecting the members at their other ends and biased to yieldably hold the members distended transversely at their unconnected ends, a sleeve on one of said members proximate its free end and having a hook extending from the sleeve toward the companion member and constructed and arranged to receive and retain said companion member when collapsed toward the sleeve carrying member.

5. A combined necktie clasp and spreader comprising associated members unconnected at one end, a spring helix connecting the other ends of said members and biasing the same to outspread condition for distending the knot of a necktie, said helix composed of a plurality of convolutions forming a spring clamp to detachably engage the free small end of the necktie to draw the same through the knot, said members comprising top and bottom parts adapted to engage between the shirt and the necktie as a necktie clasp, and hooking means carried by one of said members proximate its unconnected end for holding the outstretched members in collapsed condition.

6. A combined necktie clasp and spreader made from a strand of resilient wire comprising associated members unconnected at one end, a spring helix for connecting the other ends of the members and biasing the unconnected ends to divergent position, said members comprising inner elongated legs and outer shorter arms substantially overlying one another, a rounded nose connecting the ends of the arms adjacent the helix but spaced therefrom, connected bights joining an inner leg to an outer arm in each of said members, said bights arranged at the unconnected ends of the members, said helix composed of a plurality of convolutions constituting a spring clamp, and means on one member near its free end to secure the companion member in collapsed condition.

7. A combined necktie clasp and spreader as claimed in claim 6 characterized by the fact that the legs are given a flare beginning from a position adjacent said nose, the dare being away from the nose.

8. A necktie clasp and spreader as claimed in claim 6 wherein the legs have an offset therein, the legs at the free end of the offset being spaced from the arms through a wider distance than the legs at the helix side of said offset.

9. A necktie clasp and spreader comprising associated members unconnected at one end, a spring helix at the other end of said members for biasing said members to a transverse distended condition and composed of a plurality of convolutions forming a clamp to removably receive 5 the small end of the tie to draw the same through the knot, and hooking means carried by one of said associated members proximate its unc0nnected end to hold the normally biased distended members together in collapsed condition thereby permitting of use as a necktie clasp.

HERBERT W. KANE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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